Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-12-13
THE ACCIDENT.
The Railroad Com pany Ceusured
For Neglect.

/ SltiC i<Co an 90 ioiiiOeS'
construction foreman, and work fol
the Cal fnrnia Central Railroad Com.
pany. | do not know tn decea, ell
AMI did not see the accident. have
been ralroadiug the last seventeen
years The gravel pit track is not II
main track. 1t is "a temporary track
built into the gravel pit to yet dirt &c
fill. up the yard. The cars that were
struck last night were put in there oil
the gravel-pit track for the use OF tn
gravel train. There are cars on that
track at night and at other times
The track is supposed to he occupied
at any time. The decreased was the
conductor of the gravel train the
night the accident occurred.
John M. Cluer testified: am To-
connective fireman by occupation.
was formerly an engineer on the
BIZ lington and Southwestern Railroad.
know the decea-ed. do not know
any thing in regard to this accident.
The rules Of all railroad c,Hp.nes are
TO notify the train men mha o am,
when the cars are left on the main
track. There is supposed to he Il red
light on the cars left on Il main track
The gravel-pit track is what is call Il
main track The train master should
notify the conductor and engineer of a
train bv written order, signed by the
train. master, tn It there are cars on
the main track, il there are any.
e. E. L1ucks testified: am a loco
motive fireman and work for the Cali
fornia Central Railroad Company.
Last night, about z o'clock, while my
train and crew were on the way to
work in the gravel pit. We were push
ing train of ten cars ahead If the
engine and running ut rate of abont
five miles an hour. just about the
time the engineer had released his air.
and after running about two cars
lengths, we struck Il train OF empty
fiat cars ttat was standing on the
track in the gravel pit. | heard some
one shout that some men were killed.
| took my light and went part way
down to where the accident happened
and then back to the engine. did
not see the deceased until afterwards.
| think he was dead. Never KIN W OF
cars bring left on the gravel pit track
before, except when the steam shovel
was there, and then a car OF coal was
lett there with the shovel.
James Young testified l am TO-
colnotive engineer, work for the Ca j.
furnia Central Railroad Company.
know the deceased, his name Is Chas-
Grippe. Last night about Z o'clock
took the train down to the garvel pit
below Seventh street in the Los .f'lgr-
les riverbed The train was ahead oi
the engine. l was running about five
miles an hour. had the air on so as
to control the train. L released thu
air and the train dropped down about
two cars length and struck some carr
down in the pit. The cars we're stand-
ing on tie track Ibid not know The
cars were there. | never knew 81
cars being down on that track.
When I was going down into
the pit, l asked one OF the
brakeman il lie thought there
were any cars in the pit, and he said he
did not think there were. The deceas-
ed was on the trout car wi h Mr.. Gill
bert and MIR. Garrett. When my train
struck, some of the men hollered that
someone was killed, and to bring Il
light and come down. went down
and saw the deceased lying there
dead. He was six or eight feet from
the track in the road. The deceased
was the conductor on my train. The
cars run into were fiat cars, the same
kind Of cars as had attached to my
train. Ii the deceased and the other
persohs on the front part OF my train
had been expecting to find cars on the
track, they might have seen them
with the aid of The lanterns they had
with them. The deceased had not
been drinking. [ d, not know who
placed the cars on the track. Had |
lad my engine attached 10 the head
of the train could have seen the cars
standing ON the track by the aid OF my
headlight in time to have stopped and
avoided the accident.
Samuel Smith testified am la
borer and work for the California
Central K. r, Co. | do not know the
deceased. / .st night about hall past
six o'clock we started with the train
to 20 to work. We shifted box car
off the gravel pit track so as to get
down GU to the rack to go into the
gravel pit. [ was standing on the
head Car with the deceased and Mr..
Gilhart. | WIS just about to step Tom
one car to another, when the train
struck against >ome cars that were on
the track got up and looked around
and saw m IN lying on h face in
the sand, and then saw Kelly lying
there also. | did not see the deceased.
The car We were on think was broken
in two in the center.
The jury returned the following
verdict: ave find the deceased to be
named Charles G.. Grippe, a native OF
Iowa, aged about 30 years. He came
to his death on December IL, 1887. by
injuries received by a collision OF two
trains, belonging to the California
Central Railroad Company in the city
OF Los Angeles, and that we believe
the said accident resulted from negli-
gence on pat OF the said company in
not notifying the conductor and engin-
eer of the gravel train Of the obstruc'
ton that caused the said collision.
Jury: Irving II. Auble, Matthew s
Cartey, foreman, T.. +. Charnocki
Iaaac Mclean, Fl. M. Vance, Jos
Mace.
PIC. DOrnaiech's Services.
.>,.., 49,, 80 ,>rn,oinnpf Dann